Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2011-12: Parker Wotherspoon played bantam hockey with the Cloverdale Colts in British Columbia and was selected by Tri-City in the first round (21st overall) in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

2012-13: Wotherspoon made his WHL debut as a 15-year-old, joining the Tri-City Americans in March 2013 following his midget AAA season with the Valley West Hawks. He was -5 with no points and 4 penalty minutes in five regular season games and was -2 with no points nor penalties in two playoff games. Wotherspoon scored 3 goals with 19 assists and 118 penalty minutes in 37 regular season games for Valley West. He had 1 assist and 30 penalty minutes in three British Columbia midget major playoff games as the Hawks lost to Okanagan in a best-of-three quarterfinal series.

2013-14: Wotherspoon played in 62 regular season games and five playoff contests for Tri-City in his first WHL season and skated for the Canada Pacific U17 team in the 2014 World Hockey Challenge. He scored 2 goals with 16 assists and had an even plus/minus with 74 penalty minutes during the regular season. The Americans finished fifth in the U.S. Division, falling to Kelowna in five games in a first-round playoff series. Wotherspoon was -2 with 2 assists and 2 penalty minutes in the playoffs. He had 3 assists with 2 penalty minutes in six games for Canada Pacific at the WHC.

2014-15: Wotherspoon led Tri-City defensemen in scoring and was second on the Americans in penalty minutes in his second WHL season. He played for the Canada U18 team in the 2015 World Junior Championship. One of four Tri-City players to skate in all 72 regular season games, he scored 9 goals with 33 assists and was -13 with 93 minutes, two minutes fewer than team-leader Justin Hamonic. Tri-City again reached the playoffs despite finishing last in the U.S. Division and was swept by eventual WHL champion Kelowna in the first round. Wotherspoon was -6 with 1 assist and 4 penalty minutes in four playoff games. In seven games for Canada at the WJC he scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was +9 with 6 penalty minutes. Canada defeated host Switzerland in the bronze medal game. Wotherspoon was invited to the NHL Prospects Combine in June and was ranked 43rd amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings. He was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (112th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Talent Analysis

Wotherspoon is the younger brother of Calgary Flames' prospect Tyler Wotherspoon. He is a great skater and is effective at both ends of the ice. Not flashy, he plays a safe, NHL-like style that focuses on preventing scoring opportunities by the opposition and starting the transition from his own end to the attack. He has limited offensive upside but projects as a solid, reliable defender.

Future

Wotherspoon attended his first training camp with the Islanders before returning to Tri-City for his third WHL season in 2015-16. With a crowded group of young defensemen in the Islanders' system there is no rush to push his development and he should have the time to mature physically and refine his game in all areas. Long-term Wotherspoon's combination of combativeness and offensive ambition suggest he can be an effective two-way defenseman.

Photo: Seattle Thunderbirds forward and 2015 prospect Mathew Barzal has missed time in the 2014-15 season due to injury, but should return to action in January (courtesy of Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

Back in June, the Western Hockey League saw 37 of its players selected at the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia, PA. With the NHL festivities set for Sunrise, FL in 2015, scouting personnel are busy perusing the current WHL talent pool. Read more»